


Shooting Stars

by piratemascot



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Twins, also posted on Wattpad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-02-07 13:42:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12842394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piratemascot/pseuds/piratemascot
Summary: What happens when Killian Jones runs in to his high school crush, 10 years after she congratulated him on his graduation, with two kisses to his cheeks? He can still feel her lips, but does she even remember him?





	1. Chapter 1 ☆ Miss Swan

**Author's Note:**

> I am super excited for this story. I came up with this in April and told my internet bestie about my idea, because it wouldn't leave me alone. She pushed me to write it and I am forever grateful that she did, because I kinda like what I came up with.  
> I hope you guys do too!

Do you ever think about your first crush? The woman, or man, that stole your breath away. That one person you thought about all day and even dreamt about at night. The one that made food taste bad and made you question your appearance.

For Killian Jones, that person was Emma Swan. The day his eyes met hers, his world stopped turning. There was only one problem: the entire school seemed to be as mesmerized by the blonde beauty as he was.

Well, that  _and_  the fact that she was his teacher! It was silly, having a crush on your teacher. Even if she looked like a goddess, she would never even look at him like that. He was a boy, not a man. And that was what she needed, a man.

It was torture to sit in her classroom and pay attention. The sweet smell of her honey fragranced shampoo when she leaned in to explain him something, the change of smell to oranges and cinnamon during the winter period. Her gorgeous smile and the way her hair curled at the end of her ponytail.

He was a lost cause when it came to her.

One day, when he had to stay after class, Miss Swan asked him why he had been so distracted lately. She told him she had seen his previous grades and was a little disappointed to see his grades had dropped since she started teaching him. She asked him if it was her, if she did something wrong and he wanted to tell her she could never do anything wrong.

He couldn't.

Instead, he apologized and told her he had some stuff going on at home. She was compassionate and told him he could always come to talk to her. And when she confessed she knew how it felt, having a bad situation at home, he wanted to hug her, tell her that'd be there for her, too.

But again, he couldn't.

He remembered the time she broke his heart, clear as day. Of course,  _she_  didn't know that, but he found himself on the verge of tears when he saw her kissing Deputy Humbert. Crying was a thing Killian Jones hadn't experienced since the day his mother died, but he cried himself to sleep that night. And after that tearful night he decided to close off his heart forever and swore to never fall in love with anyone ever again.

Ultimately, he broke that promise when Milah came along, but his blonde teacher was always there, wandering around in the back of his mind. He had cursed himself of thinking of her, on multiple occasions when he was with Milah, thinking of the gorgeous blonde woman while making love to his girlfriend.

_Oh yeah, he was sure there was a throne in hell with his name on it._

Ten years after he graduated, ten years after she congratulated him with two kisses to his cheeks, he received an envelope containing a flyer for the Storybrooke Miners Day. He crumpled it up and tossed it in the bin, he didn't have time to drive all the way to Storybrooke and celebrate. He had to work, a city to protect.

After his high school graduation, he had moved to New York. He graduated in Criminal Justice and became  _the_  star detective for the NYPD. At first, it was a silent cry to become  _more_  than the man Emma Swan seemed to admire so much, but he fell in love with the job and he couldn't think of a better way to spend his life than putting the bad guys behind bars.

Two days after he'd tossed the flyer in the bin, he received a phone call from his brother. Liam Jones had just become a father to a little girl. He was over the moon and begged his little brother to come visit. When he sent him a picture of the tiny beautiful blonde lass, Killian was sold, and he made a quick phone call to his Captain to ask for some days off.

As he was driving to Storybrooke, he never was one for planes, he came across a very bright, red traffic light. He stopped, obviously, and stared at the light. The bright red reminded him of Emma and that one night she stood up for him.

* * *

_Killian was sitting at the docks, wallowing, drinking beer. He preferred a good bottle of rum, but his brother had put a lock on the liquor cabinet after he caught him stealing the heavy stuff. He was 18, well under the legal drinking age, but he didn't care. He needed something to take his mind of off Miss Swan and her new boyfriend._

_Suddenly, he heard a man speaking and a woman giggle. He whipped his head around so fast, he almost lost balance and fell into the water._

_"Shit." He muttered when he saw Emma and Graham coming his way. She had her arm looped through his and his jacket hung over her shoulders. He tossed the empty beer bottles  in the water and sat back down, pretending he hadn't seen them._

_"Excuse me, young man, what are you doing here at this hour?" He heard the Deputy ask._

_"Sitting, sir. What about you?" He didn't turn around, but he heard his teacher giggle, he might have been a little proud of that._

_"Come on, Mr. Jones. We don't have time for any games, let's get home with ye."_

_He got up, turned around and immediately regretted it. Her appearance made his knees go weak and his head spin._

_In class, she always dressed appropriately, high necklines and long sleeves, nothing too tight, and she looked beautiful. Against his will, he had roughly estimated what her figure would look like underneath those clothes, but nothing prepared him for this._

_She was wearing a blood red dress, skintight, ending at mid-thigh, showing off her lean legs. The swell of her breasts was visible, as was a scar, located on her left breast. He wondered about that, how did she get it? Was it an accident? Surgery? Had someone hurt her? It didn't matter, all his fuzzy mind could think about was leaning in and kissing it better._

_Beer and hormones, not the best combination when facing your beauty of a teacher._

_"Hello, Killian." She smiled, and his eyes finally reached hers. The moon sparkled in them and he found himself lost for words._

_Again._

_"Have you been drinking, Mr. Jones?" Graham interrupted their little moment. Well, his little moment._

_"Of course, not." He managed to get out. Graham sniffed the lie out of him, damn that Deputy for always ruining his life._

_"I believe you are. You know, I could take you in for underaged drinking ánd lying to a Deputy, right?" His hands were already reaching for his cuffs, but Emma stopped him._

_"Graham, I believe Killian should get a warning first, he's a good guy, he just made a little mistake. Besides, it's just beer. Don't tell me you never drank a bottle before you turned 21." She challenged him, and it made Killian love her more._

_Oh, fuck._

_"Fine. Go home, Jones. But the next time I_ will _take you in." Graham warned him. Killian smiled, and his drunken mind had stopped working, because he reached out and hugged Emma, tight._

_"Thank you, Miss Swan." He whispered, and she chuckled. "Thank you, so much."_

_"Okay, okay." She patted his back and he savored the feeling. He breathed in and smelled the scent of her signature perfume, but Emma squirmed in his grip and he had to let go off her._

_"I'm sorry," he scratched that spot behind his ear, "I don't know what came over me."_

_"It's okay, Killian." She patted his shoulder before she turned to Graham._

_"Let's continue our date." She smiled at him and he answered her with a nod._

_"Don't let her get away from you, deputy, she's a bloody marvel." Killian sighed dreamily when he watched her walk away._

_"I wouldn't dream of it." He laughed. "Now go home, Jones." He started walking towards Emma, but he turned around to tease him, once more, yelling, "Oh and Killian, it's cute that you have a crush on your teacher."_

_"Oh, sod off, you ass." He muttered._

_"I heard that! Don't make me throw your ass into that cell!" Killian rolled his eyes and when Graham turned his back on him, he gave him the finger._

* * *

He was roughly pulled from his thoughts when he heard the car behind him honk.

He arrived in Storybrooke a day later, after staying a night in a motel. He didn't want to admit that the closer he got to town, the more the blonde siren invaded his thoughts. He was wondering if he would run in to her, if she would remember him.   
The image of her in that red dress had haunted his dreams longer than he would like to admit and it did things to him, he wondered if he would even be able to act like a normal human being, if he were to face her.


	2. Chapter 2 ☆ Mrs. Humbert

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ☆ Happy New Year! ☆

Chapter 2 ☆ Mrs. Humbert

 

Killian was looking around the square in front of City Hall, trying to spot anyone that looked familiar. He had no success and thought it would be better to just forget about the party and go straight to Liam’s house to meet his little niece. Determined, turned around and started walking towards his car, until someone made him freeze to the spot. His family long forgotten.

“Killian Jones,” He heard that angelic voice call out for him. “My star student!”

Even after all these years, this woman still had the power to make him shiver and his skin tingle in all the right places. He took a moment to compose himself, sucking in a deep breath, before he turned around with the biggest, and most honest, smile on his face.

“Miss Swan, my favorite teacher.” He mocked her in a teasing voice. His eyes looked her up and down, before they landed on her face, locking his eyes with her beautiful green ones. Even after all these years, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

“Oh, stop that!” She shoved him playfully in the shoulder. And god, the woman had strength. “Emma will do, now that we’re all grown up.” She smiled, and he felt his heart beat a little faster. They stood in silence for a little while, looking at each other and he felt his cheeks burn under her smiling gaze.

“Okay, _Emma_ , since we’re all grown up now, how about a drink?” He waved in the direction of the bar, the smirk he put on his face hiding his nervousness.

“They aren’t selling the good stuff, you have to go to the Rabbit Hole for that.” She simply said, and he was afraid for a second, afraid she would turn around and walk away. But then she added, “but I wouldn’t say no to an Ice Tea.” And she brushed past him, walking in the direction of the bar. He caught a whiff of her perfume and he realized smelled the same as he remembered she did. It brought back a whole lot of memories and it took a second, but then he turned and followed her suit, smiling to himself.

After they got their drinks, they sat down on either side of one of the picnic tables, sipping their drinks in a comfortable silence, until she broke it.

“So, what have you been up to, ever since you fled Storybrooke?”

“I majored in Criminal Justice.” He smiled as he put down his Ice Tea. “and I am now a detective for the NYPD.” He was proud of himself when he saw her jaw slightly drop and her eyebrows rise.

“Wow, I never saw you as a crime fighter.” She was playing with her straw and he noticed the rings on her wedding finger. He wasn’t surprised, but he still felt some sadness wash over him, a dull ache in his gut, a tear in his heart. He guessed there had always been a little part of him, hoping someday luck was on his side. As he eyed the ring, he knew it wasn’t. But he was happy for her, happy that she did find her happy ending.

“Neither did I, but New York is a scary place,” He shrugged his shoulders, “I felt like I should do at least a little to help make it a safer place for women and children.”

They talked for a while and Killian found himself getting lost in her eyes, just like the times he did in her class. He was actually surprised he even passed English Literature, not to mention with the highest grades of their year.

She was so nice to him, complementing him on what he had accomplished in life, telling him that she was proud of him, and that she always knew he was going to make it far. He couldn’t help but blush at her compliments. Their conversation was nice, comfortable even, like catching up with an old friend, until they got rudely interrupted when a little blonde girl popped up and nestled herself in Emma’s lap.  

“Mommy, you promised us ice cream if we behaved.” She smartly said, her big eyes shining up to Emma.

“And we behaved, very well.” A little boy next to her chipped in, eyes big as well, eyelashes fluttering.

“Did you now?” Emma challenged the two kids.

“Yes!” They chimed, and Killian chuckled at them.

The little boy looked up at him, eyeing him suspiciously, “Who are you?” He asked, probably wondering why a stranger was sitting with their mom.  

“Finn, be nice!” Emma scolded him, just like the teacher he knew and loved.

“That is Killian, he’s a detective.” Emma whispered to the little boy, who was apparently named Finn.

“Oooooh.” The little girl hummed. “Just like daddy.”

“Daddy was a sheriff, Nora. Don’t be silly.” Finn sighed with an overdramatic eyeroll.

“I suppose you remember Graham Humbert?” Emma smirked at Killian. “I believe he busted you for underaged drinking once.”

“That he did, not my finest moment.” Killian chuckled, he couldn’t believe she remembered that. “Where is he? I suppose I should apologize for the things I said and did that night.” He laughed, thinking back of the way he told the deputy to sod off. His smile faltered, however, when he saw the sadness washing over Emma’s eyes.

“My daddy is an angel now.”  The little girl had somehow gotten off Emma’s lap because she suddenly popped up next to him.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” He scratched that spot behind his ear, like he always did when he felt uncomfortable. How could he not gave known this? Yes, he didn’t speak to his brother, or anyone in Storybrooke, very often, but it would have been something he would have wanted to know.

“It’s okay, he’s a hero!” Finn said proudly. “He saved mommy from a bad man.”

“Is that so?” Killian asked the little boy. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, they way her shoulders had slumped, the smile on her lips had faded away and the way her mind was thinking about her lost husband. He tried to distract the children, so Emma could have a moment to get herself together, by asking them about the story.

The children climbed atop the table and sat down in front of him, their little legs dangling over his lap and they began telling the story, about a villain, a knight and a princess. They probably never heard the real story, they were too young to hear the details.

“Did you know our daddy?” Nora asked.

“I did, lass. Do you want to know what he did to me once?” The children both nodded and Nora scooted closer to him.

“You do know it is very bad to drink too much coke, right?” He tried to make the story a little more child-friendly. Telling them about his underaged drinking didn’t seem right, drinking coke, however bad the stuff was for children as well, seemed a little more appropriate.  

Finn nodded quickly. “Daddy told us we would die if we ever drink too much.”

“He was right. He once saw me with a _really_ big bottle and he got very mad, he told me never to do it again. He wanted to put me in the jailcell, but your mom stopped him. So, he gave me a warning and made me promise never to do it again.”

“But you didn’t die, you’re here.” Nora raised an eyebrow, damn she was smart.

“That was because I hadn’t opened the bottle yet. Your dad beat me to it.” He bopped her little nose and he heard Emma giggle from the other side of the table. A sense of amazement in her eyes.

“He saved your life! See? Our daddy is a hero.” Finn said proudly.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Nora asked. Emma shook her head in amusement, her daughter had no restraints, and she knew what was coming. Killian nodded and leaned his ear closer to her.

“I’m glad you didn’t die, you have pretty eyes.” The little girl whispered. He laughed softly when he scooted back.

“Well, thank you, princess.” He smiled. Nora scooted closer to him, opening her arms, wanting to give him a cuddle, when she slid of the table. Killian’s hands reached out to catch her before she hit the ground and he put her back on the table.

“Careful, lass, I don’t want you to get hurt.” Her little hand was clutching his left hand and he looked down at it.

When he looked back up, he saw Emma curiously eyeing his poor excuse for a left hand, her hand over her heart and worry in her eyes, for her daughter probably.

“How’d you get that?” Finn broke the silence, earning a scold from Emma. Nora’s hand was still on his prosthetic hand and she caressed it, making his heart melt. He showed off by wiggling his fingers and Nora laughed quietly. Thank god for technology.

“I got hurt during a case.” He sighed, not wanting to share the hurtful story with the kids.

Emma decided to end the little party when she saw the hurt in his eyes. “Kids, why don’t you go find Uncle David and tell them we’re going home.”

“Okay, mommy.” They chimed, and Killian helped them both off the table.

 

“I am so sorry, they’re both kind of nosey.” She apologized.

“It’s okay, it’s not every day they see a man without a hand.” He laughed, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“They hardly ever see a _strange_ man talking to me, I guess that intrigues them more than the hand.” Emma’s words flew out of her mouth before she thought about them.

“I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to…” She was cut off by him.

“It’s okay, love. I know what you meant.” He smiled at her and she smiled back. His heart fluttered once again.

“You’ve grown up nicely.” She told him with a teasing smile. “All that leather and scruff looks better on you than the backpack filled with books.”

She had no idea what that one sentence meant to him.

“You look good too, motherhood suits you.” He complemented her.

“I don’t know about that. It was Graham’s dream to have lots of children.”

“Is it hard, raising them on your own?” She shook her head.

“I have a lot of people around, my brother and his wife or my best friend and her husband take them whenever I need a night off. August looks after them after school and Ruby loves to take them out to do the cool things.” Emma laughed.

“Don’t we all need a cool aunt?” He laughed.

“You know, the funny thing is, they have a lot of aunts and uncles, but not one is blood related. It doesn’t make them love the kids less, but still...” At that moment the kids came back.

“Mommy, can we go now?” Finn whined. “We said goodbye to _everyone_.” Nora added for a dramatic effect.

“Sure, let me say goodbye to uncle David too and we’ll be on our way. Will you stay with Killian for a bit?” The kids nodded happily, and she got up, leaving the kids in his care, with a wink. Nora crawled onto his lap, she really was the cutest thing he had ever seen, a picture-perfect copy of her mother.

“Are you coming with us?” She asked him after a bit. “We have ice cream and mommy made an apple-pie this morning.”

“I don’t think so, lass. I don’t think your mom will be okay with that.” He scratched that spot behind his ear again.

“I won’t be okay with what?” Emma popped up next to him and Finn already clung to her side, he was definitely a mommy’s boy.

“I asked Killian to come with us. I think he likes ice cream.” Nora fluttered her eyelashes at her mom, making Killian laugh, silently wondering how anyone could ever say _no_ to her.

“You do?” Emma asked him. “I don’t want to intrude.” He softly replied.

“That’s not what I asked.” She told him sternly.

“Oooh, you’re getting her teacher’s voice.” Nora buried her head in her hands. “That’s not good.”

“I asked, do you like ice cream Detective Jones?” Emma teased him, and Finn had to try his hardest to keep himself from laughing.

“I do, ma’am.” He played along.

“Oh, good job.” Nora whispered to him, giving him a thumbs-up.

“Then I suggest you help us eat out our fridge.” Emma hoisted Finn up, settling him on her hip. He was getting heavier every day and Emma praised the lord for the strength in her arms.

“What do you say, kid, do you think we have some extra Rocky Road for Killian?” Finn acted like he was thinking really hard, his fingers plucking at his chin.

“Maybe once scoop.” He finally said.

Emma raised an eyebrow in question, “Just one?”

“It’s okay, we can share.” Nora told Killian quietly when her brother nodded.

“That’s very kind of you, lass.” He got up and Nora held her arms out, he lifted her from the table and put her on his hip, mirroring Emma’s position. He didn’t even notice the little girl was caressing his left hand again, until Emma smiled down at it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I am sorry for the delay, December has been a crazy busy month for me! I hope you enjoyed the chapter anyway, I hope I'll be able to post the next one sooner!


	3. Chapter 3 ☆ Stories

Killian followed Emma’s car to her home. He was amazed when he saw the beautiful Victorian house she lived in, big, in a shade of blue, complete with white picket fence and toys scattered around the yard.

After he’d parked the car in front of it, he found himself hesitant to get out of the car and follow her inside. Inside his head, he was having a conversation with his 18-year-old self, who told him to move his ass and follow the beautiful blonde. _She_ invited _him,_ after all. So, with a shake of his head, he did exactly that.

“Sorry for the mess, Saturdays are play days.” Emma laughed when she held out her hand to take his coat.

He looked around the house, the open floor plan making it easy to see inside a few spaces. They were scattered with toys, it seemed like they had even built a fort with sheets and pillows in the front room.

“It’s okay. I’ve seen worse.” He chuckled, and Emma swatted his arm. “You were supposed to say, what a beautiful house you have here.” She teased him but before he could make a retort, he felt a tug on his prosthetic.

“Come to the kitchen.” Nora had taken his left hand and dragged him to the kitchen, chiming ‘ice cream, ice cream, ice cream!’ along with her brother.

“Our auntie Elsa made it, it’s the best you’ll ever have!” She assured him when she motioned him to sit down on the chair next to her.

Nora was quite taken with Killian, he could tell from the moment he met her, while Finn held back a little, clinging to his mother, sending him a suspicious look every now and then. Good lad, for protecting his mom.

“Elsa? As in Elsa Jones?” Emma nodded while scooping a little bit of ice cream in a bowl for Finn.

“Do you know auntie Elsa?” Finn eyed him, a little pout on his face after he had lost the battle for more ice cream.

“Well, her husband is my brother, they just had a baby.” Emma handed him a can of whipped cream and he put some on his ice cream, as well as a little on Nora’s.

“Uncle Liam is your brother?” Nora looked up at him, trying to grab the can of whipped cream for more, she lost that battle just as much as her brother had.

_Uncle Liam_ he laughed at that. Killian was still young, young enough to have children, but after what happened on that one case, the one where he lost not only his hand but also his girlfriend and their unborn baby, he never thought of having children again.

For some reason, he still felt grateful that Liam had two kids that called him _uncle,_ he knew what that meant to Liam, he liked having people around, liked having a big family, even when they weren’t his own blood. And from what he heard from the kids, just now, they loved his brother very much.

* * *

 

A little after they’d finished their dinner of ice cream and apple pie, and the twins started to get droopy, Emma announced she was going to put the children down for the night.

At that, Killian got up from his seat, “I’ll see myself out, have a nice evening, Emma.” He told her, earning him a big fat _NO_ from both the children.

Somehow, with the stories of his time at the NYPD, the stories about him and Liam as little boys and a story of how Emma gave Killian detention that one time he hadn’t finished his homework, he had managed to win over Finn during dinner.

“You have to read us a story.” They chimed with their little twinkling eyes, and he couldn’t say no.

“I am so sorry, I’ll make it up to you, promise.” Emma whispered to him, an apologetic smile on her face and Killian grinned at her, until he felt a tug on his hand.

“Our rooms are over here.” Finn instructed him, and he followed them up the stairs and into a giant open space. Pink and girly on one side, manly and darker on the other.  

Nora motioned him to sit down on _her_ bed and after he did, Finn pushed a fairytale book into his hands. He read the story of the princess and the pirate, a favorite of both the children, while Emma leaned against the doorway. A smile plastered on her face.

Her kids had never taken a liking to a stranger, not even when they claimed to know their mother, or had known their father. Hell, they didn’t even like it when Graham’s long-lost father, a man they had never seen before, showed up at his funeral, even if he was family. But Nora seemed mesmerized by the handsome man and Finn seemed to look up to him. Being a detective was a big hit with her kids and the way he told them his stories during dinner, had been an even bigger hit.

She saw Killian close the book, and she realized her kids had fallen asleep faster than ever before. She got Finn off his sister’s the bed, carrying him the little distance to his own bed and laid him down. She covered him with his blanket and kissed the top of his head, eliciting a soft, content sigh out of him. She kissed the top of Nora’s head as well and noticed Killian looking at her in awe.

She stood back up and held out her hand, waiting for him to take it, and when he did she felt a shock. A tinge of electricity, starting from where their hands touched, shooting up in her arm, settling in her chest. She tried to ignore it and pulled him into the corridor and down the stairs, only to let go of him when they reached the living room.

“Do you want to stay for a beer, or perhaps something stronger?” She asked him with a small smile. “To thank you for today.” She added quickly with a slight blush on her cheeks.

“Aren’t you tired of me yet?” He laughed, feeling a little uncomfortable and maybe even a little awkward at their current situation. He had felt a spark when he took her hand. He knew then, his crush was never really a crush, it was so much more.

He knew, in the back of his mind, he shouldn’t have followed her home, and he was vaguely aware he could leave now, rejecting that drink with her. Because all of this, brought back the feelings he had when he was younger. It also brought back _hope_. He knew he shouldn’t feel that way, but he did, and it scared him to death.

“Never, it’s nice to see the kids interact with someone that isn’t family. Nora seems to really like you.” She teased from the kitchen.

“Well, I do have that effect on women.” He smirked when she came back into the living area.

“I do believe you used to like beer, Mr. Jones.” She mocked him, while handing him a bottle.

“I am fairly sorry about ruining your date that night, _Miss Swan._ But I gather, things worked out in the end.” She saw him looking at her and Graham’s wedding picture on the fireplace mantle.

“Beautiful.” He whispered, but she heard it anyway, and she found herself smiling as she sat down in one of the big chairs.

“So, you know my brother then?” He asked when he sat down on the couch opposite of her.

“Very well, Elsa is my best friend.”

“I didn’t see you at the wedding.” He stated matter-of-factly.

“I had to leave before the ceremony, the twins decided to make their grand entrance two weeks early. My water broke at the church that morning, very classy.” She laughed, thinking back to the moment she almost ruined Elsa’s wedding dress.

“Elsa wanted to postpone the whole thing, but I told her to go on with the ceremony as planned. She and Liam joined me in the hospital before they left for their honeymoon. They looked at the twins with so much awe in their eyes, I am glad they finally had their own daughter.” Emma smiled as she put down her drink, propping her legs underneath her body.

“Aye, the little lass is beautiful. They seem so happy.”

 

They talked for a while, about what they did after Killian left school, what had happened in Storybrooke these past year and she told him about Graham. Tears welling in her eyes when she told him about the night he died in her arms after being shot by a mad man, the bullet meant for her, because she gave his son detention two weeks in a row.

He wanted to sit down next to her, give her some comfort, but the lines between them had already been blurred and he didn’t want to overstep.

He told her about the case that left him handless, how he reached for his partner, who happened to be his girlfriend, when the first shot was fired. A bullet went straight through his hand and ended up in her chest. Killian mustered up the strength to aim a shot at the shooter; Milah’s ex-husband. He had fallen off the wagon when his ex-wife had fallen in love with Killian.

Out of breath, she had told him to save their baby, but the ambulance arrived too late. He lost his girlfriend and unborn child that day, and when the doctors told him he would lose his hand too, he wished he had taken the bullet to the brain instead of his hand. He didn’t want to live anymore.

During his story, Emma had gotten up and sat down next to him, her hand on his shoulder, squeezing, trying to comfort him and he felt himself relax a little underneath her touch.

“Our lives are pretty screwed up, aren’t they?” She grimaced when he finished his story.

“I guess so.” He rubbed his hand over his face, trying to get his emotions in check. Talking about Milah wasn’t easy for him, he could still feel the pain he had felt that day.

“We need another beer.” Emma got up and walked over to the kitchen, trying to make sense of the situation.

Killian had always been her favorite student, he was very good in her classes and she liked the talks they had sometimes, after school, but having him, as a handsome grown-up, in her house, made her feel different about him. A feeling she couldn’t quite place.

* * *

After two more beers, Killian said goodbye. He was going to visit his brother the next day and he needed his sleep after the long drive.

“It was great catching up with you, Killian.” Emma told him when they were standing near her front door.

“I agree.” He smiled honestly. “I hope I can do something in return for the beers, someday.”

“I’ll hold you to that, I had a great time. It’s great talking to someone who isn’t family.” She laughed as she handed him his jacket.

“Indeed, love.” He slipped on his jacket and turned to the door, before turning back and looking at her one more time, taking in her beauty.

“I guess I’ll see you around.” He slightly smiled, and she nodded, her teeth softly sinking in her lower lip. “You probably will.”

He didn’t know what possessed him to lean in and brush a kiss over her cheek, but the blush that crept over her face was completely worth it.

“Good night, Emma.”

“Good night.” She breathed out before he opened the door and walked through it, a happy smile on his face.

He fell asleep easily, thinking about the blonde woman, but in a completely different way than before. He had seen the pain in her eyes when she told him about Graham, the happiness when she told him more about her kids and he would never forget the blush on her cheeks when he pulled away his lips.

He couldn’t wait to see her again.


	4. Chapter 4 ☆ Uncle Killian

The morning was a different story, Killian had planned to visit his brother in the morning, presuming Elsa would be tired in the afternoon, but he had slept longer than he had planned, so he quickly showered, got dressed and headed out to the diner for a cup of coffee and a donut-to-go.

She was standing at the last booth, dressed in dark blue jeans, a light blue blouse with rouches, her hair down in golden waves, helping her kids settle down in the booth.

“Killian!” He heard Finn yell, interrupting his staring. He looked up and saw him wave, a smile on his little face, copied by his sister and, to his surprise, their mother. He smiled and walked over to the booth to say _hello._

“Good morning, Killian.” Her voice was soft and sweet, and it made him shiver slightly.

“Morning, sleep well?” He asked with a smile.

“Best sleep I’ve had in a really long time.” He tried not to read too much into that, or the way her cheeks turned a little pinkish.

“Are you eating with us?” Nora batted her eyelashes and again he wondered how anyone could ever say no to her.

He looked over at Emma, silently asking for her opinion, but when he saw her mimic her daughter’s expression, he chuckled and agreed to eat with them.

“You can sit next to me, Killian. Nora already sat next to you yesterday.” Finn told him as he scooted further into the booth and patted his little hand on the spot next to him.

“Sunday’s are our lazy days.” Emma explained. “The kids sleep in, we have brunch here and usually visit my brother.”

“We slept in mommy’s bed this morning.” Nora smiled as she nestled herself into Emma’s side.

“Did you now?” Killian asked her, eyes scanning over the menu. The menu hadn’t changed in those ten years he had been gone and he didn’t know if it should comfort of frighten him a little.

“She has the best bed, ever!” Finn explained.

Ruby came over to get their order and he noticed her looking at Emma with a questioning look in her eyes. She laughed and shrugged her shoulders, making him smile to himself.

“Are the prettiest kids in Storybrooke ready to order?” She asked them.

“Me and Finn want the waffles, the ones with chocolate and mommy wants the pancakes. She looooooves pancakes.” Nora ordered for all of them, making Killian snort a little.

“And what about this kind sir, Nora. What do you think he wants?” Ruby asked after she had penned down the order.

She looked at him and squinted her eyes, he couldn’t help but grin at her cute little face.

“Pancakes too, but with chocolate chips.”

“Good choice, love.” He gave her a high five over the table. “They are my favorite.”

“Coming right up and yes, Emma, I will add some fruit to the order.” Emma stuck out her tongue just after Ruby walked away.

Much like the day before, the kids bombarded Killian with stories of all the adventures they had been on. When the food came, they ate it in silence and Emma was grateful for the fact that Killian seemed to ignore the looks Ruby was giving her.

“Do you want to come and play football with us, Killian?” Finn suddenly asked catching the attention of everyone at the table.

“I am sure Killian already has plans, Finn.” Emma said as she popped another strawberry into her mouth.

“I do, lad. I’m going to visit my brother.” He told him. “I still haven’t seen my little niece yet.”

“Can we go too, mommy. I want to hold Brianna again.” Finn asked her. “Me too, please, mommy!” Nora chimed in.

“We’ll go next week, we should give Killian some time alone with the baby, don’t you think?”

“I guess.” They muttered in unison.

The thing was, he wouldn’t mind if they would tag along. He wanted her there, hell he wanted her next to him and probably never let go, but he knew he shouldn’t think like that. 

After they had eaten, and the table had been cleared he said goodbye to them. Promising Nora he'd come and check out her doll collection one day and he promising Finn he would go play football with him. He had known the kids for less than 48 hours and they had him already wrapped around their little fingers. It happened even sooner than when he met Emma. 

No, wait, who was he kidding, she had him at  _hello._  However cheesy that might sound.

_“Kids, it’s not polite to intrude people’s plans. I get that you like Killian, but he has a lot to do.”_ He heard Emma warn her kids when he walked out of Granny’s.

_“But he likes us too, I just know it.”_  Nora defended him, and he couldn’t help but laugh at that, the little girl could read him so well.His brother scolded him for waiting so long to meet his little niece, claiming that if he waited a little longer, the lass would have been able to open the front door herself. But Liam was also very happy he finally showed up, and Elsa was ecstatic when he walked through the door with a giant teddybear. 

* * *

He sat down on the couch, and the moment she put their little baby in his arms, he had to do anything in his power not to shed a tear. He didn’t know how long they sat there, talking with Elsa and Liam about the pregnancy, the delivery and the first few days of having her home.

“You want to try to feed her?” Elsa asked him, causing his eyebrow to raise.

“Uh,"  He waved awkwardly at Elsa’s chest, "don’t you have to do that?”

She laughed and showed him the bottle in her left hand, “I don’t breastfeed. But then again, us and Emma are the only ones who are allowed to feed her, so perhaps I should do it myself.”

He couldn’t help it, but his eyes lit up when he heard her name.

“Oh, that’s right, my little brother had a crush on Emma, years back when he was her student.” Liam teased him.

“Oh, sod off. Hand me the bottle, Elsa, I love a challenge.” He held his hand out, waiting for the woman to put the bottle in it. He murmured some encouraging words to the little baby and brought the bottle to her mouth. To his big surprise, she took it and began to drink.

He was in his own little world with the baby, thinking of how it could have been if he hadn’t lost his own. All these scenarios went through his head, and he wondered, for the first time in a long time, if it would have been a boy or a girl. 

“And here you told me, I was the only person allowed to feed the little one.” He snapped up his head so quick, he might have heard something crack at the back of his neck. But the sight of Emma with a teasing smirk on her face was worth it.

“I told you I have that effect on women, even the little ones I guess.” He smirked at her, holding her gaze for a few seconds before the kids ran up to him.

“Killian, I beat Finn with football.” Nora said proudly. “That’s great, Nora!”

“I let her win.” Finn crossed his arms over his chest, pouting, but soon lightened up when he saw Brianna.

“Hey, Em.” Liam said as he stood up and went over to kiss her on the cheek. “I’m quite confused, love. How do the twins know my little brother?”

“Younger.” They heard him say from his spot on the couch.

“I ran into your  _younger_  brother, yesterday. He hung out with us for a while and might I add, you have quite the competition when it comes to Nora’s love.” She teased him.

His eyes widened, and he turned to Nora, kneeling in front of her. “What do I hear now? Did my brother steal my little princess away from me?” He playfully asked.

“Of course not, uncle Liam, you’ll always be my number two!” She assured him with her hands on his cheeks and a kiss to his nose.

“Two? I sure hope my brother isn’t you’re number one, because I might have to tickle you if he is.” He wiggled his fingers and Nora already started to squeak.

“Her daddy is, nitwit.” Killian came to her rescue and the girl nodded.

“Good girl, your daddy should always be your number one.” Liam ruffled her hair and got back up again. In the meantime, Brianna had finished her bottle and fell asleep. Finn got to hold her for a little bit, before Elsa decided to put her back in her crib.

The kids went into the backroom, to play with all the toys Elsa and Liam had bought for them. They babysat the kids every now and then, after Graham had died, and Emma had found great comfort in them. They helped her take care of the kids, helped her get through the mourning period and helped her get back on track. The kids loved them and up until Elsa got pregnant, they frequently stayed over during the weekends.

“I have to ask, Emma, do you still teach at Storybrooke High?” Killian asked her when they all sat down in the massive kitchen, coffees in their hands and pastries on the table.

“I do, I’ve always loved that job.” She smiled, rimming the top of her coffeecup with her ring finger. “After you graduated though, I didn’t teach the seniors for a few years. Apparently, and I quote,  _they couldn’t handle a young woman as a teacher._ ” She chuckled, and Killian almost chocked on his coffee.

“Zelena added some words to that sentence and you know it, Em.” Liam teased her.

“I didn’t agree with her. What would appearance have to do with my teaching skills?”

“For eighteen-year-old boys, a lot.” Elsa chimed in. “You probably don’t even wanna know.”

“I have to agree with the lass, you were far more interesting to look at than our math’s teacher.” Killian smirked at her.

“Thanks?” She laughed. “But you still graduated, with very high grades, might I add, so I stick with my statement that my looks have nothing to do with my skills.”

“Did you forget that Killian was one of the few guys that passed your class?” Liam retorted. “The rest was checking out your ass in those skinny jeans.”

Both Emma and Killian chocked on their coffees, making Elsa laugh hysterically.

* * *

After an hour of talking, Nora and Finn crept back into the kitchen. Nora launched herself into Liam’s lap and Finn climbed atop his mother’s, both letting out an exhausted sigh.

“Do you want to go home kids? I believe I promised I’d make dinner.” Emma put her hand through Finn’s hair as he laid his head on her chest, he was so tired, his eyes were starting to droop.

“I wanna have a BBQ.” He mumbled against her shirt. “Next time, kid. You know I have no clue how that thing works.” He looked at her for a second, and then nodded, a sad expression in his eyes.

“We can BBQ here.” Nora said with a hopeful gleam in her eyes. Liam and Elsa had a very big BBQ out in the backyard, and they used it a lot during the summer months.

Unfortunately, Liam had to burst her bubble, telling her that they had to go visit Elsa’s mother.

“I know what to do!” Finn suddenly sat up straight, completely awake, all eyes on him. The boy’s smile was almost bigger than his face. “Killian can help us! He knows how to BBQ.”

“Yes! And you have to read us another bedtime story, I slept really well, last night.” Nora had her hand on his arm, squeezing lightly.

Killian didn’t know whether to accept or not, he didn’t want to intrude, but he also really wanted to spend some more time with them. Luckily for him Emma spoke up, even when he didn’t completely agree with her answer.

“What did I tell you this morning about people’s plans? You can’t keep asking Killian to join us for food or bedtime stories, he has his own plans.” Emma shook her head, but she couldn’t hide her amusement.

“Sorry, mommy.” Both kids hung their heads, Finn’s fell back to her chest, while Nora buried her in Liam’s neck.

“Bedtime story, huh?” Liam smirked at his little brother.

“Have you ever tried to say no to Nora? I couldn’t.”

“Yeah, she has that effect on people.”

In the end, Killian did go home with Emma and the twins again. The kids had fallen asleep and she needed the ride home, because she came by foot. Of course, she couldn’t carry both of them home, even if it was just a few blocks.

During the short ride, the kids had slowly woken up and told Killian that his car was waaaaaaay cooler than their own. He chuckled at that and again, Emma shook her head in amusement, a slight blush on her cheeks and a small smile painting her lips.

He stayed for dinner, again. They didn’t BBQ, because Emma did not have the stuff she needed for that. Instead, Killian and Nora had pushed Emma and Finn out of the kitchen, to make his famous chicken parmesan.

The kids even told him they had never had food as good as this in their  _entire_  lives, leaving Emma with a pout they eventually kissed away.

Just as the night before, he read them a bedtime story, from a spot on Finn’s bed this time. The kids were exhausted and fell asleep easily, giving Killian and Emma some time to clean up the kitchen in a comfortable silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for liking, commenting and subscribing to this story, it means so much to me!


	5. Chapter 5 ☆ Moving on

The first year Emma was a teacher at Storybrooke High, Killian was in her class. He was a star in English Literature, his previous grades were impressive, straight A’s. She started doubting her teaching skills when his grades seemed to drop, drastically. She had asked him to stay after class, one day, asking him why he was so distracted and when he told her about his home-life, she felt bad for him. She knew what it was like to grow up without your parents, but she thought it would be worse if they just left you years after you were born, like Killian’s father did.

She scheduled a weekly lesson for him, after school. Besides teaching him, they talked, mainly about his family. How his mom died when he was just a little boy, his father drank himself into oblivion and how his brother took care of him when their dad finally decided to leave them all together. After he had told the story, he had sniffled, and Emma patted his shoulder, trying to comfort him. She really wanted to take him in her arms, let him spill his tears on her shoulder, but she was his teacher, and even thinking like that crossed a line. 

In return for his story, she told him more about herself, hoping it would help him see it would work out for him, just as it did for her. And it did help. His grades got better, he got better. He smiled more, and she would be lying if she said didn’t adore that smile.

One night, a Saturday night, she found herself thinking about him, how unfortunate it was that he was younger  _and_ her student. She would have loved for them to have met under different circumstances, be friends, allies, perhaps even more. But as soon as the thought entered her mind, she pushed it far away and put away the glass of wine in her hand, switching to water instead.

When he graduated, with a giant smile on his face, she couldn’t help but congratulate him with two kisses to the cheek, leaving both of them with a blush on their faces.

And then he moved away, off to chase dreams or something. She had befriended his brother, who had become Graham’s best friend, but he hardly spoke of Killian.

He had come home for the holidays, one year, but Emma was on a plane to Northern Ireland, spending the days with her soon-to-be-husband’s family. She had seen the picture on Liam’s desk, when they came back. He and his brother standing in front of the oversized Christmas tree, smiles painting their faces, and she noticed how manly and handsome Killian had gotten. She smiled at the photo, silently praying he lived a happy life now. She put back the picture and that was the last time she had even thought about her  _star_   _student_.

No, that was a lie, every now and then he popped up in her dreams. Why? She didn’t know. He didn't say or do anything, he just had a role as a passer-by. It was merely a flash, she saw of him, and a moment later he was gone.

* * *

“Are you okay, Emma?” She heard him ask from the other side of the kitchen. It was still a little weird, hearing him call her by her first name, but she’d be lying if she denied hearing her name fall from his lips, didn’t do something to her.

“Uh, yeah. I was just thinking.” She shook her head, getting her thoughts in order, and grabbed two bottles of beer, handing him one.

“To the future?” He asked her, holding up his bottle.

“To a  _happy_  future.” Their eyes didn’t leave each other when they both took a huge gulp of their beers.

They sat down in the back yard, Emma had lit a fire and Killian admitted he was impressed with that. She didn't know how the fancy BBQ worked, but she sure knew how to light a fire.

They sat in silence for a while, both just sipping their beers, eyes trained on the yellow flames, picking at the labels of their bottles. Emma had to bite back a giggle when she noticed he was picking at the label in the same way she did.

She sucked in a breath,  _now or never,_  and turned to him.

The puff of air she let out, caught his attention and he turned to look at her. She seemed like she wanted to say something, so he raised his eyebrow curiously. 

“I have a confession to make.” She told him, a slight smirk lingering on her lips. 

“Most women do.” He smirked back. “Please, enlighten me.”

“Are you sure you want to know? This…” She gestured between them, “might get awkward, ” she warned him with a raised eyebrow.

His mind was spinning with thoughts on what she was possibly going to say, so he told her he wanted to hear her confession, no matter how awkward it was.

“Remember that night Graham and I walked in on you drinking at the docks?” She asked him with a grin. 

“How can I forget, you saved me from the scary Deputy.”

“And you hugged me, quite tightly.” She reminded him with a chuckle.

“Yeah, sorry about that. Beer makes me a little more affectionate.”

“I know the feeling.” She sighed, looking at the bottle in her hand.

“Perhaps we should lay off the beers then, lass.” He laughed, putting the bottle on the grass next to his chair.

“I think we’re good.” She purposely took a long gulp, her eyes closing for a second.

He swallowed, hard. “Uh… your confession?”

“Right.” She laughed. “So, after you hugged me. By the way, besides the beer you smelled really good, what was that?”

“Would you believe me if I said it was my natural smell?” He teased, and she snorted, very unladylike but oh-so-cute. “It was Diesel, still wear it every day.”

“Hm, so I’ve noticed.” She mumbled, but he heard her anyway and it made his heart leap, she remembered how he smelled...

“So, anyway. After we left the docks Graham told me he thought you had a crush on me.” The smirk was back on her face and he felt his cheeks burn. His face was now probably as red as the dress Emma had worn that night.

“Ehm…” He stammered, right hand coming up to scratch that special spot behind his ear.

“So, it was true?” She asked him quietly.

“Aye.? Was all he managed to get out.

“Bastard!” She spat out, looking up to the sky. Killian jumped, her reaction startling him, but most of all confusing him.

“Not you, Killian." She quickly reassured him when she noticed his shocked expression. "Graham. We made a bet, he was so sure of it, he even teased me about it. He told me if I ever saw you again, at like a reunion or something, I had to ask you. I told him he was being silly, and he bet me 100 dollars.” She explained before turning her gaze to the stars.

“You owe me, Humbert. And you owe  _him_ , for being so great with our kids.”

Killian smiled at her before turning his gaze upwards. “Your kids are great, Deputy.”

Her hand found its way to his shoulder, squeezing lightly. “You would have been a wonderful father to that little baby, I am sorry you had to lose them both.” 

“Perhaps, one day I’ll find myself being a father.” He put his hand over hers and the moment their hands touched, they saw a falling star.

Emma giggled and muttered, “Really?” under her breath, to no one in particular.

_Since Graham had a job with a few dangerous aspects, she and Graham had talked about what they would want in case one of them died. When they came to the moving on with someone else part, he told her he’d always want to see her happy, even if that meant moving on with another man. She demanded him, if she’d ever found herself in that situation and he approved of the guy, he should give her a sign._

That falling star, that was the sign. And all events that happened over the past years, the talks she and Killian had after school, popping up in her dreams and the ridiculous way her kids seemed to like him since the moment they met, finally fell in to place. She had felt the electricity when he touched her hand, when he kissed her cheek, the pull he seemed to have on her.

She took her hand away and took a step back to look at him, “Killian, why did you come home with me?” 

“Because you asked me to? Because Nora and Finn wanted me to?” He was confused by her sudden question, scared to give her the wrong answer.

“Are you here for my kids?” She asked. “Or for me?” She quietly added, avoiding eye contact.

“I would love to say just for the kids, but then I would be lying.” He mumbled, gazing back to the stars.

Emma had never been a woman of many words, so she stepped back, reclaiming her place next to him and grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers. At that moment, another falling star graced the sky and Killian laughed quietly.

_When he and Milah got together, it was messy. Work-regulations forbade them to be related in any other way than professionally, but they sought each other out anyway. They fooled around for over a year, before putting a label on it. They had vowed to keep their private life separated from their work, but when Killian got shot in the shoulder and ended up in the hospital, they decided to have a serious talk._

_They made it official, exclusive and promised to stay together, but they didn’t want to get married, they both didn’t see themselves as marriage-material. They promised each other to move on, if something ever happened to one of them._

_He never had the desire, not after losing her. His luck with the ladies had always been nonexistent, his younger self had pined over a woman he would never have and when he finally grew up and opened up his heart for someone else, the universe took her from him._

_He tried, really tried to forget about his bad luck with women, picking up one at a bar every now and then to scratch an itch. He remembered the last woman he took home, dark haired, skinny and tall. She reminded him of Milah but when she told him her name was Emma, he lost it. It was a common name, he knew that, but it was as if the universe was torturing him once again._

Now here he was, standing in Emma’s backyard, their hands intertwined and smiles painting their faces, both looking up at the stars. The two times Emma and his hands had touched, a star had fallen from the sky and he felt as if that was Milah, telling him to finally move on.

“Do you think they’re telling us to move on?” Emma quietly asked.

“Aye, love, I think they are.” He turned and smiled down at her.

“Imagine what would happen if you‘d kiss me.” She wondered out loud, biting her lip.

“Do you want to find out?” He quietly asked her, brushing a lock of her hair away from her face. She didn’t say anything, she just nodded and leaned in closer. His hand lingered on her cheek, thumb resting on her chin, the tips of his finger grazing the skin at the back of her neck.

Her eyes were locked with his, she felt his breath ghosting over her lips, causing goose flesh to erupt all over her body. His nose nuzzled hers, her eyes closed, and then she finally felt his lips on hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and leaving kuddos! ♡


	6. Chapter 6 ☆ Shooting Stars

 

Fire, his entire body was on fire. Her hands had found their way to his neck and were caressing the skin, slowly moving up to toy with the hairs at the back of his head hairs at the nape of it. His bad hand snaked around her waist, pulling her closer, needing to feel her body against his, needing to feel this was _real_. His mind was spinning, he wanted to deepen the kiss, he _really_ wanted to, but he wanted to let her take the lead.

Electricity, her entire body was tingling when their lips connected. His lips were soft, plump and oh-so-perfect. She felt his left hand on her back, not even minding it wasn’t real, because when he pulled her closer, flush against his body, she knew the rest was.

She didn’t know why, she didn’t want to question it either, but something switched inside of her. She was kissing him, _really_ kissing him and she felt the flutter in her stomach. Slowly, she parted her lips, swiping her tongue over his lower lip and felt utter joy when he didn’t hesitate before parting his lips as well.

The moment her tongue met his, she was gone. There wasn’t anything she could do to hold back the little groaning noise that came out of the back of her throat when she felt his tongue slide against hers.

It was magical, the way she made him feel with a simple kiss. He had wanted to kiss her from the moment he met her, and he would be lying if he said he had never fantasized about this moment. But, his fantasies came nowhere near the real experience. She was perfect, her lips were perfect, the little noises that came out of her mouth were perfect.

For the first time since losing Milah, he felt like he could really move on.

The way he made her feel, was strange, but good strange. Hell, she hadn’t kissed a guy since losing Graham. She hadn’t wanted to; her kids were enough for her. But now, in this moment, when Killian could make her feel so good with just a kiss, she thought _maybe_ her kids were not going to be enough forever. _Maybe_ , she wanted to move on, and _maybe_ , she wanted to do just that with the gorgeous man that was kissing her senseless right now.

He had to let go, he was out of oxygen, and the clichés about not needing oxygen when you have the perfect person in front of you, were definitely not right.

He kept his forehead pressed against hers, the smile on her face resembling the way he felt. Their eyes were locked, and they were breathing harshly, trying to get all the oxygen back in their lungs.

Her eyes flickered to the left for a second, “Look.” She mumbled, her breath still ghosting over his lips. He turned a little, keeping her close.

He noticed another shooting star, followed by another, and another. The sky was full of falling stars and it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Second most beautiful thing.

“They approve.” Emma softly whispered, and he looked down at her, meeting her soft smile.

“I think they do, love.” He kissed her forehead and they both turned to look at the stars again.

She put her head against his chest, arms wrapping around his waist, his arms wrapping around her torso and they stayed like that for a while, breathing each other in, watching the shower of falling stars.

She didn’t know how long they had been standing there, but when it died down and they turned to go back inside, she got slightly horrified.   
Up in the windowsill, her kids quickly ducked down.

She took in a sharp breath, “what do you think they saw?” her panic was noticeable in her voice, but it quickly went away when she felt Killian squeeze her hand.

“They were probably just watching the stars.” His tone was reassuring, and she let out a soft chuckle.

“Oh god, the first time I kiss a man after their father died, and they witness it.” She shook her head with an embarrassed laugh. “Do you think this will scar them for life?”

“Darling, the kiss wasn’t that bad.” He teased her with a nudge to her shoulder, causing her to snort.

“No, it really wasn’t.” She reassured him, turning to look him in the eyes once more. “You’re quite good at that.”

With a blush on his cheeks, he pecked her lips softly and she smiled into the kiss.

“Come on, Casanova, let’s go find out how much we’ve damaged them.” She took his hand in hers, a little stunned about how well their fingers entwined, and pulled him inside.

When they reached the twin’s bedroom door, she shot him a look, telling him to play along.

Slowly, she opened the door, revealing the children, pretending to be asleep.

“Oh, no. too bad they are asleep.” She whispered a little too loudly, but perfect for the part she was playing. “They missed the entire meteor shower.”

“Aye, love. I don’t think we could even explain to them what it looked like,” he played along, “too bad the next one isn’t for at least 2 years.”

“I wish we would have taken a picture, Finn would have loved it. Do you think we should have gotten him out of bed?” At that moment Finn sat up straight in his bed, a huge grin on his face.

“I did see it, mommy. It was beautiful!” He immediately put his little hands over his mouth, shocked he revealed their secret and from the other bed Nora let out an irritated groan.

“Don’t tell her.” She hissed to her brother, slapping her hand against her forehead.

Emma flicked on the lights with an amused smile. Her kids were the best but lying wasn’t Finn’s strong suit. Especially not when he was this excited.

“So, you crept out of your little beds to see the stars?” Both children nodded, their lips turning in little pouts. “I think I should punish you for that, don’t you think?” The pouts turned into sad and ashamed expressions and Killian was biting the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing.

“What do you think, Killian? Tickle-death?” She grinned at him.

“I think that’s fair. Can I offer you my assistance?” He stood up right, saluting her.

“I think the little princess over there needs your attention.” Nora squealed as Killian crept closer, his fingers, both real and fake, wiggling. She tried to hide underneath the covers, but Killian tickled her through them.

Both kids were laughing, screaming in joy, and Killian felt his heart grow.

“Now, what will you never do again?” Emma broke the fits of laughter with a stern voice

“Go out of bed, unless it is an emergency, a nightmare or when we have to pee.” The twins said in unison.

“Good. Now go back to sleep, we’ll see you in the morning.” She kissed Finn’s forehead and tucked him in, before making her way to Nora’s bed. Killian had already tucked her in, but she still wanted a kiss from her mom.

“Will Killian be here in the morning?” Nora asked when Emma and Killian reached to door.

He looked at Emma, not sure how to respond. But she just smiled at him and shrugged her shoulders, encouraging him to answer the way he pleased.

Of course, he wasn’t going to spend the night with her, not after just one kiss. He really didn’t know what to answer, so he asked her a question in return.

“Do you want me to be here?”

“Yes!” Both kids said at the same time. “I like you.” Nora added to that. Oh, the little heartbreaker.

“Then I’ll be here.” He promised her. With a soft squeal, she got up out of her bed, rushed over to him and hugged his legs.

“Until tomorrow.” She whispered, looking up at him. With a laugh, he picked her up and carried her back to the bed.

“Sleep well, princess.”  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A teeny, tiny little update! I had to cut it short in order to have a natural flow to the next one. And, I couldn’t let you hang after how the last chapter ended.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	7. Chapter 7 ☆ Mornings

He offered to come back in the morning, not assuming Emma actually wanted him to stay over.

But she didn’t mind him staying and they stayed up to talk for the majority of the night.

“Your brother knew?” A slight nod. “And he never told me?”

“It’s not really something I am proud of to admit, love. If you had never asked me, I wouldn’t have confessed.” His cheeks had been a shade of red for the entire evening and he knew he must look like a fool. But all that didn’t matter anymore, not with Emma sitting next to him.

They were sitting on the couch, facing each other, both one leg on the floor, his left knee resting on the couch, her right one resting on top of it. He had is left arm stretched out over the back of the couch. And for the first time in a really long time, he wished he could feel something with the hand that was resting right behind Emma’s head. He wished he could comb his fingers though her silky soft looking hair.

“I’m glad you confessed, Killian.” She smiled, brushing his right arm with her warm hand. “It’s weird, I’ve always wondered about you.”

“How do you mean?” He took her hand, his thumb drawing circles on the inside of her wrist and it made her burn.

“I meant it, all those years ago, I really hoped you would find your happiness. I remember seeing your picture on Liam’s desk, a big smile on that handsome face. You looked so happy then and I was relieved.”

“Did you just call me handsome, love?” He smirked at her.

“Are you denying it?” Her raised eyebrow was putting his to shame.

“Of course not, I know how devilishly handsome I am. I am just glad you see it too.”

“Oh, I saw the potential way back when.” She teased him, “the giant backpack was just in the way.”  

* * *

He offered to sleep on the couch, but she insisted he’d take the guestroom. He tried to refuse, but she didn’t budge, talking in a stern teacher’s voice and he just couldn’t say no to that. She gave him something to wear to bed. Apparently, they were his brother’s clothes. Whenever Emma had to go away for a few days, for work, Elsa and Liam babysat the kids and since it was easier to let the kids play and sleep in their own environment, they spend the night in the guestroom.

“I guess the couch sounds better anyway, I don’t wanna sleep in a bed were my little niece could have been made.” He joked to her and she burst out in laughter.

“I know for a fact that she hasn’t been _made_ in that bed.” She laughed. “But you might want to stay away from their master bathroom.” She added with a wink and his disgusted face made her laugh even more.

“Sweet dreams, Killian.” She teased with a grin, before she turned to walk to her own room.

“Pretty sure that’s not gonna happen with those pictures in my head.” He groaned quietly, his face still full of disgust.

“Want me to put another picture in your head?” He looked down at her, suddenly standing in front of him.

He leaned down and kissed her lips softly, feeling her smile against his lips. Her hands snaked around his back, pulling him closer as he let his hands rest on her hips.

He took the lead this time, swiping his tongue over her lower lip and she eagerly let him in. The sound she made was soft, but it sent a shiver down his spine.

She released him a moment later, her forehead still pressed against his as she whispered, “Sweet dreams, Killian.”

“Sweet dreams, love.” He mumbled as he watched her disappear through her bedroom door. 

As he laid in bed, he thought about the ridiculousness of the evening. Seeing her was one thing, but kissing her was something else. Something he had wanted since he was a teenager.

He was sure this was all a dream, and when he would wake up tomorrow, he would be in his hotel room, in his own bed.

* * *

His bed was swaying, his body rolling from left to right and back. He didn’t remember falling asleep on a boat. When he cracked one eye open, he heard a giggle and suddenly he was wide awake and alert. On both sides, a child was jumping up and down and that’s why he felt like he was sleeping on a freaking boat.

“You snore.” Was the first thing Finn said to him.

“I do not.” He defended himself when he sat up against the headboard.

“You do, Killian, just a little bit.” Nora laughed, and he rolled his eyes. No one had ever told him this, so the kids were making it up.

“Where is your mom?” He said after he was done yawning and rubbing his eyes.

“Right here, and I do have to agree with the children. You do snore.” She was standing in the doorway, dressed in jeans and a sweater, looking gorgeous as ever. He groaned, both from her confession and the way she looked.

“But it’s a cute snore, right mom?” Nora pressed. “It is.” She agreed and sat down on the end of the bed with a smile. “Good morning.”

“Morning, love.”

She told the kids to move along, finish up their dressing and brush their teeth, as they were leaving for school in ten minutes.

“I’m off this morning, so I’ll drop off the kids and I’ll be back to make you a proper breakfast.” She smiled at him, intrigued by his _just-out-of-bed_ look. Hell, she wouldn’t protest if she’d see it more often.

“How about, you drop off the kids and I’ll have breakfast ready when you come back?” He grabbed her hand, rubbing circles into her palm with his pointer finger.

“You don’t have to do that, Killian. You’re our guest.” He raised an eyebrow, “it’s the least I can do for letting me sleep here.” He pouted a little, knowing it should have an effect on her.

And boy, it did. She relented with only a small sigh, before putting on a big smile.

“You really did become a wonderful man.” She leaned forward to press a kiss on his lips, but he turned away, rolling over in the bed, with a murmured _morning breath_.

“Are you serious?” Emma asked, confused, to which he nodded, his face buried in the pillow.

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that.” She scooted closer to him and took hold of his face, turning it way from the pillow. With a laugh, he tried to get away from her grip, but she was stronger than she looked. She leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

“Eh, you were right. Gross!” She teased him, pinching her nose.

“I’m going to get you back for that.” His hands crept up her sides and he started tickling her. She squealed in laughter and started squirming and kicking. Before he knew it, he had flipped them over, she was on her back, he was sitting on top of her hips. He leaned down to pepper kisses all over her face, while she was giggling like a schoolgirl.

When he stopped teasing her, they both seemed to notice the position they were in, but he couldn’t let go of her yet. He leaned down to press a proper kiss on her lips, soft and loving and when he pulled back, she chased his lips, coming up to a sitting position.

She kissed him this time, a little more urgent, he felt her tongue graze his lips and right when he wanted to part them for her, the kids yelled from downstairs.

“Mom! We’re gonna be late.”

She pulled back with a blush on her cheeks. “Go, love.” He urged her on.

“I’ll be back in 15 minutes, tops. Then we’ll talk, okay?” She asked him while getting away from underneath him.

“Of course, see you in a bit.” He pecked her cheek and she was out of the door.

He fell back on the bed with a sigh.

“If this is all a dream, I really don’t want to wake up.”

* * *

When she got back to the house, Killian was standing in her kitchen, fully dressed and flipping pancakes while singing along with the radio. The house smelled great and with a smile, she quietly entered the kitchen.

She sat down on one of the barstools at the kitchen island, appreciating the way his muscles moved underneath his shirt, as he was flipping the pancakes while moving to the beat of the music.

When the song was over, she let out a low whistle and Killian jumped up a foot in the air.

“You’re sending a man to an early grave if you scare him like that, Swan.” His hand was resting over his heart and she couldn’t help but chuckle at his theatrics.

He handed her a plate of pancakes and they both sat down to eat them, both knowing they’d have to talk about _them_.

“How long are you staying in town?” She asked him, trying to start _the_ conversation.

“A week.” Emma nodded, but remained quiet. He saw the wheels turning in her head, so he gave her some time to think about what she wanted to say.

“Killian, look.” There it was. “I’ve had fun, last night, and it meant a great deal to me to hear that you cared for me, even back then. But…”

“But what?” He urged her on when she remained silent.

“The kids like you, hell, maybe even more than I do. And I don’t want to blur the lines for them.” She explained, looking up to him. “Right now, you’re friend, Uncle Liam’s little brother…” He arched an eyebrow at that and she swatted him in the chest.

“I think I want you to be more, to me, to them, but I have to be sure about you, you have to be sure about me, about us. Because if we blur the lines and we’re not on the same page, it’s going to be difficult for the kids.” She sighed, looking down. “My children are my first priority, and not many potential dates get that.”

He took her hand and forced her to look him in the eyes again. “I’m in. All in. I am sure about you and me, and I am sure about the twins.” She smiled a little and he noticed her eyes were getting a little teary. “I love the twins, so don’t ever doubt I wouldn’t want to be with you because of them. So, I’m all yours, if you’ll have me.” He heard his words come out with so much confidence, but inside he felt so insecure. He had laid out his heart for her, by telling her he’s had a crush on her ever since the day he saw her, by telling her even after all these years, she still holds his heart. And she had the potential, right then and there, to crush it, shatter it into a million little pieces. Her answer though, surprised him.

She didn’t use words, but the way she kissed him said enough. Of all the women that had kissed him in his life, not one kiss felt like this. Her kiss was so full of love, it felt like a promise, a future. And he couldn’t stop the flutter in his heart.

“Killian Jones, would you like to go on a date with me?” She asked him, her arms still around his neck.

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you out?” He teased with a grin.

“I should have known you were old fashioned, despite your age.” She pricked him in the chest.

He laughed and rolled his eyes dramatically. “I’ll happily accept, on one condition.”

“Which is?” She sat back, her arms crossed over her chest.

“You let me plan the evening.”

Her eyes widened, “I know how to plan a date!”

He chuckled and leaned in to brush away a strand of her hair. “I know, love, but you shouldn’t have to. You have the kids and work. Let me plan it, so you can relax and enjoy it.”

“Well, I don’t pillage and plunder on the first date, just so you know.” She told him cheekily.

“Why, that’s because you haven’t been out with me yet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, commenting, bookmarking and leaving kudos!
> 
> I apologise for the long wait, I've been very busy lately. If you want to know what keeps me busy, follow me on Instagram @ piratemascot

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


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